St. Johnstone go into the 2012/13 season, Steve Lomas’ first full year in charge, shorn of their main attacking talent but still retaining hopes of a top six finish. A busy summer in Perth has seen the team reshaped, but will it be enough to hold their place in the top half of the SPL? Simon Furnivall writes.
Last Season
The 2011-12 campaign for St. Johnstone began under Derek McInnes, looking to build on their two seasons finishing 8th since their return to the SPL. Unfortunately for the Saints, McInnes, often linked with jobs in England following his success in Perth, was finally tempted away to join Bristol City. The job of replacing him was given to former West Ham midfielder, Steve Lomas. Many expected their impressive start to tail away, but for the majority of the season they held fourth, only falling away to sixth once their place in the top half of the table after the split was confirmed.
Summer Activity
The 15 goals of Fran Sandaza were crucial in their impressive season last time around, so the inevitable loss of the Spaniard will hit Lomas’ side hard. Along with the loss of loan striker Cillian Sheridan, they have been left bereft of attacking talent. The job of filling those roles have been given to Nigel Hasselbaink and Grégory Tadé, brought in from St. Mirren and Inverness Caledonian Thistle respectively.
It has been a busy summer for the Perth club, more so than many of their SPL rivals, bringing in plenty of experience of Scottish football in Tam Scobbie of Falkirk, former St Mirren midfielder, Patrick Cregg, Jonny Tuffey of Inverness and Gary Miller, a full back from Ross County. There have been just as many out, including Jody Morris, who has ended a four year spell at the club to link up with former manager McInnes in Bristol.
Key Player
Grégory Tadé. Tadé is not a man with a prolific scoring record, but the 25 year old from Nantes will have to find his best form in order to fill the hole left by Sandaza. Alongside the hardworking but erratic Hasselbaink, there is the potential for an effective partnership, and if Lomas’ men are to scale the heights of another top six finish then it will need to be so. If Tadé can break into double figures (he scored nine for Inverness last season) then it will go a long way to ensuring another good season.
Manager
Not much was known about Steve Lomas as a manager when he replaced McInnes in November 2011. His only previous managerial experience was with St. Neots Town, a Southern League side in England, followed by a spell in charge of the West Ham reserve side. He made a good start to life in the SPL, however, winning ten of his 26 games in charge, enough to seal a top six spot and even a place in the Europa League qualifiers despite a late season collapse in form.
This season will be a huge test of Lomas’ credentials. His first full season in charge, and with the task of continuing on the strong work that has been done at St. Johnstone over the last few years. They have established themselves once again as a solid SPL side, and another season in the top six would be a superb achievement. If Lomas can pull that off, then he may well become the latest manager to use the Perth club to launch himself towards brighter lights.
Projection
A top six finish is going to be a tough challenge, even with the extra space created by Rangers’ demise. The improvement in teams around them, notably Aberdeen, puts their place under threat and with clubs like St. Mirren, Hibs and Kilmarnock all hoping to make the step up into the top half, defending that place would be considered a considerable success. Without the goals and guile of Sandaza, their job is made even more difficult, but there should be enough about the squad to at least see them in with a chance.
Verdict
A long hard season hovering around sixth place, and in the end just sneaking into the top half.
20/20 Hindsight
What we got right and what we got wrong.
Right: St Johnstone did make the top half and Steve Lomas used an impressive season to bloat his CV and move onto new pastures.
Wrong: Gregory Tade flitted in and out of the starting line-up so cannot be considered a “key man” but this was a little bit out of our hands seeing as Saints signed two forwards (Rowan Vine and Steven MacLean) after this preview was written.